Monday 11 May 2015

REVIEW: Hourglass Ambient Powder Wardrobe Palette + Swatches

High end beauty can sometimes be a bit hit or miss.

When you're forking out $50+ for a product, you want to have the peace of mind that it's going to be INCREDIBLE. But it isn't always the case! 

So if you're planning on doing a little splurge, rest assured that purchasing the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Wardrobe will definitely keep both your wallet and your conscience happy!

Even at $76 dollars, this highlighting powder palette is worth every cent. Read on to see for yourself!




The palette comes with three of Hourglass' signature highlighting powders, including the limited edition Incandescent Light shade. You can use all three as foundation setting powders, but I prefer to use Dim Light for that, while applying the other two as my highlight and contour respectively. 


Each of the shades are incredibly creamy and blend beautifully onto the skin. The finish is so seamless and the powders are very easy to wear. You don't really need to do much work at all - with other contouring and highlighting powders I find that I have to just sit there and blend and blend and blend until it looks natural, but these are so flawless that using the whole palette only adds a minute max to my makeup routine. 


All of the shades in the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette have a subtle sheen to them, with crazy fine shimmer pigments that make your skin look fresh and glowing (rather than reflective!). 

Dim Light is a champagne gold that is the perfect makeup setting powder that gives the skin an airbrushed, flawless finish. I especially love that is doesn't add any additional coverage and lets my skin show through. 

Incandescent Light is the perfect cheek, brow and nose bridge highlight. It's a creamy, satiny white that looks very natural on the skin, and provides a subtle candlelit-like glow that is absolutely gorgeous. 

Radiant Light is more on the metallic bronze side, but it is still soft enough to use as a contour shade. When I contour, I prefer a gentle shadow rather than harsh definition, so it's a great shade for me. 



So let's show what they look like on!


Below, I have applied my usual foundation and concealer. While both provide me great coverage, my skin still looks a little on the flatter, more matte side. So let's add some definition!


Dim Light



Here I've applied Dim Light all over my face (and you don't even need a lot!) like a setting powder. Immediately we can see that my skin looks more even in tone, and just like the shade name suggests, more radiant! 


Incandescent Light



When it comes to applying the highlight shade, I love using the Hourglass Ambient Powder Brush because it's a rounded rectangle shape that really helps me target the pigment to specific areas of my face. I highly recommend using a brush like this for applying powder highlights!


Here I have applied Incandescent Light to my cheek bones and already they look higher and more defined. But at the same time, it looks very natural and soft (like 'my skin but better', right?!). Those glowing complexions you see on Instagram models? My guess is that they're using this palette!


Radiant Light



To add some warmth to the skin, I applied Radiant Light beneath my cheekbones, around my hairline and temple, and along my jawline. It instantly adds a gorgeous soft focus to the skin and makes me look like I've spent an afternoon in the sunshine! Speaking of, when your skin catches the light when wearing this palette, it looks absolutely beautiful!


Final Verdict


So let's go a little back in time... Below is a before and after using the Ambient Lighting Wardrobe and look at the difference! In the after photo, my complexion is glowing and much more defined. I look healthier, more awake and somehow my skin looks transformed and bright! 


Admittedly, this palette is pretty pricey at $76 at Mecca Maxima and Mecca Cosmetica, but I assure you, it is worth every cent. It doesn't matter if you've done a dodge job at your foundation, because THIS. PALETTE. FIXES. EVERYTHING. Plus it's beautiful. And who can argue with that?


Have you used the Ambient Lighting Palette? What are your thoughts?

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1 comment

  1. Thank you so much for the great review! I've been a bit hesitant to fork out the money for the wardrobe palette since it's definitely not the most affordable highlighting palette available but now I'm dying to get it. Your skin looks incredible with the powders! :)

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